bottom pour casting

[Ben Nevlezer]

Does anyone use a bottom pour lead pot to cast hollow base musket bullets that are worth shooting???

My "normal" set up is dipping with Lyman ladle from the top of a 20# Lee into a Lyman 575494 mould. With a hot pot and warm mould the first 3 to 5 bullets are rejects, after that the rest are perfect. (As long as I keep a steady pace) It works great but im lazy and always looking for a faster, easier way.
I recently used a friend of mines bottom pour RCBS 20# pot, which seems to be an awesome tool, but couldn't for the life of me cast any bullets worth keeping. Out of the 40 I cast I thru 35 back into the pot due to the wrinkles in them. In the past I have used bottom pots for solid base smith/maynard bullets and it has worked great. I've tried different flow rates, temps, and everything else I can think of but just cant seem to get a hollow base bullet worth shooting.
I know you guys are all pros and everybody has their own method. So what am I doing wrong or over looking?????

[jonk]

Every mold is different of course. Let's look at ladle casting first.

Some molds I have like to have the lead poured directly into the hole. Others like it poured onto the sprue plate so it runs in. Still others like having the pouring nozzle on the ladle (lyman) pressed against the sprue hole and then upended, so the mold sucks in the lead, more than it runs in.

In principle, a clean bottom pour nozzle will let lead out at a rate about the same as a ladle, so in principle, it should work.

That said, I have 3 pots. a Lee 5 lb, a Lee 10 lb, and a Lee 20 lb. Latter 2 are bottom pours.

The Lee 10 lb lets lead out a little faster, for whatever reason. I have the best luck with it. To get good fill out, I press the mold right up to the teat on the nozzle firmly and open the valve. Watch out. Lead under pressure can spray a bit. I still get more rejects than with a ladle, but only just; and the faster rate means more bullets per hour.

One other thing I've considered trying is getting a NEW bottom pour pot, pulling the nozzle out, and opening it up as much as I can while not interfering with the valve stem. While it's out, some valve grinding compound (fine) worked against the interface between the nozzle and the stem would do wonders to help drips.

Then there's the minie mold I have that likes ladle casting, but with bottom pour, likes it poured out on the sprue.

Just gotta experiment. Some will do it, some won't.

[efritz]

Ben,

You're doing nothing wrong and you've seen all there is to see. I've been making bullets for 46 years. An arsenal of moulds. Bottom pour doesn't work with the way they're manufactured using pure lead. Now I suppose the fellas that mass produce bullets as a business have modified their pots and moulds and added motors to produce such quantities, but they are also adding antimonies to mix. That won't work for minies. Maybe solid bullets. Test and practice to see if that works for you.

Don't worry. You're not alone. Press on. Persevere.

Eric Fritz
149th PVI.

[Ben Nevlezer]

Thanks guys.
Im going to play around a little more with this.
I've already made up my mind that an RCBS 20# pot is going to replace my 20 year old Lee, the only question that remains yet is if Im going to remove the bottom pour parts to make more room for dipping like I did on my Lee and just go slow and steady with my ladle and end up with 95 excellent bullets out of 100. Time will tell I guess. Just trying to re-invent the mouse trap...


trial and error, and error, and error, and error, and error, has taught me what I know

[ian45662]

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=162964&CAT=3902. I think the people who make that pot also make the thermostat for the ribs unit

[Lou Lou Lou]

I prefer the Waage dipper pot at $168. 20 pounds But you have to call them to order it

[ian45662]

I prefer the Waage dipper pot at $168. 20 pounds But you have to call them to order it


Yea that's the one in the link but do like he said and call them cause that's a lot cheaper. What's their number?

[Fred Jr]

I have never used any thing but a bottom pour pot. Use to use the Lee's but they would burn out quickly as two of us used them. Been using the Lyman 20lbers for years and my bullets turn out fine. I think my shooting speaks for the results of bottom pouring. That hurt my arm from trying to pat my back!

Fred
1097

[Maillemaker]

I've only ever used a Lee 4-20 production pot, so that's all I can speak to.

I have always had problems with voids. It seems that if you pour "straight in" the problem is worse. If you pour at the most extreme angle you can, the problem seems to go away.

But I often wonder if the void has gone away or just moved inside/off center on the bullet.

I weigh my bullets and weed out any that are over +/- .5% of average.

In reading some period books on expanding ball casting, they say the lead must be poured in slowly. So I may try to adjust mine to pour more slowly.

Wrinkly bullets are usually indicative of a mold too cold or lead too cold. I cast around 750F and I use a blowtorch to bring my mold up to temp fast before I start casting.

Steve

[Lou Lou Lou]

PM sent to Ben

[Ben Nevlezer]

Thank you for the input guys. I will certainly look into this much further.


And PM sent to Lou